BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 162
Education
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
National research indicates that full-day, full-year kindergarten is superior to a half-day program or no program at all. Children who are given additional opportunities to achieve and develop skills in letter identification, sight word recognition, and socialization do better in the first grade and beyond.
Participation in a prekindergarten or kindergarten program is critical to placing educational emphasis on the early grade levels. New performance requirements through the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test for third graders mean students must get ready at an earlier age.
S.B. 162 lowers the age for compulsory school attendance from six to five years-old so that more children have the opportunity to perform well.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.085(b), Education Code, to require a child who is at least five rather than six years of age, or who is younger than five, rather than six, years of age and has previously been enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten, rather than the first grade, and who has not yet reached the child's 18th birthday, unless specifically exempted by Section 25.086 (Exemptions), to attend school. Makes conforming changes.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 29.009, Education Code, to make a conforming change.
SECTION 3. Repealer: Section 25.085(c) (Compulsory School Attendance), Education Code.
SECTION 4. Makes application of this Act prospective to the 2005-2006 school year.
SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.